Only Ninth
by UncutDiamond
Summary: The Prince has captured the Avatar, is welcomed home, and is given back his rightful title of crown prince. But his troubles haven't ended. Finally done!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not, in any way, own any one from the show _Avatar: The Last Airbender._ Prince Zuko, Lord Iroh and the Fire Lord are not my characters. I do, most unfortunately, own the annoying nobles and Ren. I also own Aya who _will not, I repeat, will not be a Mary-Sue!_ Sorry to disappoint.

"Please, Aya. You have to go anyway and it's always better if you get there early. The Fire Lord wishes it. And _he_ will be there!" Ren said excitedly as she pinned my long, silky black hair into an intricate bun. I sighed as loudly as I dared and went back to reading my book. Ren shook her head and rolled her eyes at me.

"Reading is not a suitable pastime for a young bride-to-be." She said, putting the last pin in place. At that remark, I closed my book with a snap and turned to face her. She jumped back, almost falling on an overgrown tree root.

"I am ninth, Ren. There are several girls before me all with more desirable backgrounds and much prettier faces." I said hotly. My palms began to heat up with contained fire. Ren, who knew me well, merely chuckled and sat next to me on the garden bench. Her slick black hair was cut short and she was often twirling it around her fingers, just as she was dong now. It was the only thing about her that bugged me, for no particular reason. Her eyes were dark brown, and shown with excitement. I couldn't understand why. So the Prince was coming home, so what? He was a prince; spoiled, bratty, high-minded, not to mention banished.

I calmed myself and opened my book once again. Ren sighed and looked around the garden, empty at this time of day. Everyone was having lunch in the palace's Grand Room. Soon, I knew, they would be moving to the Entrance Hall where the Prince would enter, being welcomed back after searching for the Avatar for so long. Rumor was that his sister, Zula, was being sent to search for him next if the prince didn't succeed. She was deemed a more worthy opponent.

A bell sounded, bringing me back into the garden scene. Ren stood up quickly, pulling at my arm.

I followed, although reluctantly. I really had no desire to go to the Hall. We, the girls who had been chosen as possible brides, would be shown off like some prize animal and it made me slightly uncomfortable. Ren chatted, almost nonstop, with the other young women as we made our way to the Entrance Hall.

I had learned a long time ago how to block out the noise of the gossiping nobles and let myself be led by Ren.

As we entered the hall, we were to bow to the Fire Lord, seated so grandly on his throne of fire. We both kneeled on the floor with the other women of the palace, pressing our foreheads lightly against the ground. Lowering our eyes as we stood, Ren and I both sat together, surrounded by the eighteen other brides who were talking quietly. Luckily enough, she was tenth in line, so I was able to sit next to her. The table where we were seated was fairly short, only containing twenty seats and place settings. The number one choice bride for the Prince sat closest to the Fire Lord and the rest of us continued down the line from there. The girl on my left, number eight, was quiet, something that I valued highly at the moment.

On the other side of the hall, a long table extended from the main doorway to the Lord Ozai's throne. There were seated the most important nobles of the palace. Among them, I could see my father and step-mother, chatting aimlessly to the persons around them.

I paid no attention to the other girls and carefully slid my book from underneath my dress, beginning to read once again. This kind of thing only bored me and I couldn't stand listening to the mindless drabbles of the other girls. It wasn't like I was smarter then them, I just felt like I _could_ be. I _knew_ I could be something. But…._according to the Fire Nation customs_ that my father followed so strictly, he would not let me be anything more than some marriageable prize. I sighed and redirected my attention to the book in my lap. After a few minutes, the chatter died down and I snapped the book shut, hiding it under my dress. The room was now completely silent as the Fire Lord stood.

"Today, I welcome my…son, Prince Zuko, back into the Fire Nation from his two-year banishment." He said loudly, his arms outstretched. Whispers and muttering filled the hall as the name of the banished prince was mentioned.

The smile on his face was twisted, almost cynical.

"He has, after this long period of time, managed to capture the Avatar!" There was a very audible outburst at this simple statement. The entire room was filled with talk and several extremely loud arguments. Even I was surprised by this proclamation. I turned to Ren who was nearly jumping with excitement.

"Oh, Aya, can you believe it? The Avatar! Imagine!" She exclaimed, clutching my arm. I smiled at her and gently removed her hand from my arm, nodding my head.

"That is an amazing accomplishment." I said, still watching the Fire Lord. I knew that this must have been a hard thing to keep secret from so many prying nobles. But a certain silence returned as the Fire Lord raised his hands.

"So, here I present Prince Zuko." He said. On the right side of the hall, two guards opened the huge entrance doors. Everyone craned their necks to see the young prince walk into the hall. I also tried to catch a glimpse of the banished hero. Ren's head was, unfortunately, in the way. I sat back, waiting until he got closer to the middle of the room. As he came nearer, I really got a good look at him.

He was dressed in an exceptionally smart and decorative suit of Fire Nation armor. There were some collective gasps as some of the nobles noticed the prince's scarred face. Even I was shocked at how badly deformed the prince's face was. The whole left side of his face was a dark red color, the skin burned. His left eye was squinted and his ear had folded onto itself, giving him a warped, unbalanced look. I could tell that he had once been handsome, but now all of us in the hall knew the face of the new prince. Ren clutched my arm again. Her nails were digging into my skin as she stared in surprise at Prince Zuko. We had heard rumors….but we _never_ thought that it would have been something like this.

"L-look at his face!" Ren exclaimed. She leaned towards me and whispered in my ear. "Did…his father….the Fire Lord did that?" She said in a strange voice. I was surprised to hear she was even a little thrilled.

"Ren, please calm down." She looked at me ridiculously.

"Is that all you can say? Calm down? This is the _Fire Prince_ we're talking about. And just look at his face! Who…what girl is going to want to marry him?" I just shook my head.

The prince had, by now, reached the Fire Lord's throne. I had observed, while also talking to Ren, that the prince seemed a little unnerved by the presence of all the nobles. He bowed in respect to his father. Not forgotten, but slightly unnoticed, was the Fire Lord's brother, retired General Iroh. He had followed the prince's progress through the hall. As Prince Zuko stood, Iroh bowed slightly at the waist, his face grim.

The Fire Lord smiled his mouth a grotesque line on his face.

"Welcome, my son." He said quietly. Turning to the rest of the hall, he smiled genuinely at the crowd.

"Prince Zuko has accomplished a great feat. He has succeeded in capturing the Avatar!" The prince and his uncle, by this time, had taken a seat by Fire Lord Ozai. The prince beamed at this announcement and sat up straighter in his chair. I felt sick. The prince actually thought that his father was proud of him? For two years I had listened to the rantings of my father about how the Fire Lord had effectively gotten his son out of the way, making sure that the throne would not be taken by a disrespectful, shameful, and weak heir. I felt so sorry for the young prince.

"As many of you know," he continued, starring pointedly at the whispering group of girls at the table on the right. "My son will soon be seventeen. Old enough to get married. By the day he is seventeen, he will have to choose a bride, in order to rule the Fire Nation and produce a successor." I noticed Prince Zuko's face and laughed quietly. It must have been a surprise to him; his face was a mask of horror and astonishment. He turned to Lord Iroh and began to whisper to him violently.

Ren and the other girls were still talking about the prince.

"…his face, that horrible scar..."

"….I think he looks attractive…"

"…but he _is_ the prince…"

"…his father, maybe…"

"...seventeen so soon…"

"…oh, who will it be...?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed quietly to myself. In my opinion, it didn't matter to me _who_ the prince chose as his bride. As long as it wasn't me, I would even be able to live if it were Natsumi, bride number one. She was possibly the most self-centered, prissy, and vain girl I had ever met. I mean, she would fulfill all the requirements; beauty and not being too smart.

Attention returned to the Fire Lord as he, for the third time, quieted the nobles. The fire behind him flickered, casting off a devilish light.

"You are dismissed." He said simply and strode out of the hall, without looking back once. The prince and Lord Iroh both looked forlorn at this abrupt departure. There was a flurry of activity as a dozen families exited the room. I decided to stay until most of them had gone. It was a hassle to leave with such a large crowd of people around. Ren and most of the other girls stood up to leave. She turned back and saw me still sitting on the silk cushion. I pulled out my worn book and had continued to read the same page I had been on all day. It was most frustrating.

"Aya, are you going to leave soon?" She asked, practically jumping to leave the hall.

"Go, Ren. I'm trying to avoid my parents." I said, eyes never leaving the page. Ren clucked her tongue as she was hustled out of the hall to gossip about the returned prince. No doubt they would try to shadow him for the rest of the day. I kept reading, and soon only a small group of nobles, the prince, and Lord Iroh were left. The tables were being lowered into the floor, an ingenious contraption concocted by the Fire Lord himself. The cushions were still out though, so I continued reading, drawn into my own little world of paper and ink. I didn't even know I wasn't alone until a dark shadow was cast onto my lap. Quickly looking up, I saw to my utter dismay, that it was Lord Iroh. He smiled pleasantly at me and I bowed to him in respect.

"Reading? An interesting pastime for such a young woman of the Fire Nation court." He said, still smiling. I averted my eyes and nodded. The prince walked up behind him, glaring at me and at his uncle.

"Let's go uncle." He said grumpily. I pressed my forehead to the floor and heard a noise of surprise above my head. The prince had obviously not noticed my almost invisible form. Why would he, I was only a woman after all.

"Yes, of course Prince Zuko. You must be eager to get back to your old room." Lord Iroh said gently to the prince. He turned back to me. "It was nice meeting you…?" He trailed off expectantly.

"Aya, Lord." I said quietly, bowing my head and slipping the small book back under my dress. He nodded amiably and I could feel the prince grow more annoyed.

"Uncle Iroh." He said warningly. Lord Iroh sighed.

"Yes, Prince Zuko." He and I both bowed and they exited. I smiled to myself. Ren would literally kill me if she found out that I had only been a few feet away from the prince. I decided to go read in the garden. My parents might be looking for me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not have anything to do with the creation or ownership of any characters from Avatar. I only like to watch the show and obsess.

It had been several days and still I had only seen Prince Zuko once. I had been walking past the training room, hoping to get a glimpse of Yoko. Instead, I saw the Prince, bare-chested and throwing fire. His uncle must have been training him, but I did not see and hurried on.

I was sitting, reading of course, in one of the many small maze gardens inside the palace walls. The gardens had become my favorite place for peace, for hardly anyone went there. They must be much too intent on being with other nobles, trying to be seen with the right people, forging marriage pacts, and the like. The day was sunny and very hot. So hot that it actually made me tired, strange for a citizen from the Fire Nation.

The only noise was the delicate fountain next to the bench I was on and the chirping birds, sitting in the twisted branches of the decorative trees. My eyes drooped and I decided to take a little nap. No one was around. No one would see. I slid the soft slippers off my feet and lay, body sprawled and dress gracefully draped across the bench. I was asleep within a few minutes.

……………………………………

Later, much later for the sun had lowered in the sky, I could hear a voice whispering in my ear.

"Aya. Aya, it's me. Wake up." It was barely more than a breath of wind. I slowly opened my eyes, still bleary and tired.

"Aya." The voice called more persistently. As the face of a young man came into focus, I sat bolt upright.

"Yoko!" I cried and threw my arms around his neck, a smile breaking over my face. The man laughed and put his warm arms around my body, holding me close.

"When…? How…? I-I thought you wouldn't be back for ages!" I said quietly into his ear. A few tears ran down my face. I held him tighter. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." He gently pulled away and kissed my forehead. He was just as I remembered him; only his hair was longer, pulled back into a bun. His smile was too large for his face, his gentle face that was a touch different. The face of a man.

"We were delayed at an Earth Kingdom port. I would have been back sooner, but our crew caught a case of sea sickness. Something in the food." He was talking, but I could only stare at his face, hold his hand, feel how rough he had become. He noticed, and sat next to me. I leaned into his shoulder, letting my head rest by his.

He ran a finger through a strand of my hair, loose from the nap on the bench. I sighed and he turned his head towards me.

"Reading again, I see." His voice was teasing and friendly. I picked up the small book and handed it to him.

"It's the one you gave me before you left." He took it from me and opened it. He flipped through the pages and chuckled quietly.

"Did you read nothing else while I was gone?" He put the book on my lap. I smiled and nodded. A bell sounded distantly, five hours after the noon sun.

"My parents will be looking for me. I must have slept for hours!" I said, lifting my head up. He smiled and patted my hand. Just as he kissed my cheek, a harassed looking Prince Zuko walked by. He glanced at us as Yoko bowed at the waist and I kneeled. He stopped and gave us a withering look. He took a hesitant step backward, then changed his mind and walked up to Yoko.

"Please, you have to hide me. They-they won't leave me alone!" He said, a few strands of hair coming loose from his ponytail. Up close, his scar was darker and a little wrinkly. Yoko's eyes widened and he glanced at me quickly, but his voice was steady and without much emotion.

"Who are you hiding from Prince Zuko?" There was the faint sound of laughter and I knew exactly who he meant. The Prince must have heard it also. His better eye traveled towards me and I looked down.

"Those…girls."

Yoko stifled laughter and turned it quickly into a cough. The Prince looked so helpless. I had seen tougher men than he crumple with embarrassment in front of a group of ladies. As far as I was concerned, he was doing pretty well.

"Why not," I ventured. "Hide up in the trees? Or behind the bench? It would be hard to see you there." My smile was slight and I was trembling with contained giggles. The Prince nodded and he looked up at the short tree, light red and pink blossoms covering its branches.

"Yes. Yes, that will work." He said absentmindedly. The prince walked swiftly over to the tree and hauled himself up the trunk, rustling the branches and then settled quietly. Yoko gave me a funny look and I shrugged my shoulders. Then, a group of young girls burst through the opening. They were silenced when they saw Yoko and me, standing alone. Ren, I was not surprised to see, was with them. As well as Natsumi, that pompous twig. There were others that I recognized, but I ignored them.

"Oh, how rude of us to intrude." Natsumi's high, breathy voice pierced my ears like a knife. Ren put her hand to her mouth and giggled with some of the other girls. I smiled tightly and bowed shortly.

"No intrusion, no. We were just having a…enlightening conversation." I said, starring her straight in the eyes, daring her to press me further. Yoko bowed gracefully to them and the girls blushed. All except for Natsumi.

"Oh, Aya my dear, we were just wondering if you happened to see that handsome Prince Zuko come by. We followed him into the garden and now he seems like he has just," she waved an intricately woven fan and widened her eyes. "Disappeared into thin air." Her smile was forced and pleasant at the same time. I looked around and Yoko coughed, covering up the slight rustling of the tree branches.

"He doesn't seem to be here, now does he? I _did_ happen to see him pass by. In…that direction." I pointed to the path that curved around into the middle of the maze. Natsumi's smile was sour.

"I see. Thank you." She swept out and the group of excited girls followed her. Ren stayed behind for a moment.

"Did you really see him?" She breathed to me. I nodded. She turned to Yoko and started.

"Yoko, I did not know you were back! I didn't know it was you."

Yoko smiled and bowed to her.

"Lady Ren, always a pleasure." Ren smiled.

"Aya, I'll leave you two alone. See you at dinner?" I nodded again and she left. We waited a few minutes more, making sure the girls were really gone.

"My Prince, you may come out now." Prince Zuko slid down the tree and straitened his shirt. A few flower petals, I saw, were caught in his hair. He ran a hand through it and pulled them out, dropping them on the ground. Yoko walked over to him and bowed his head slightly.

"If I may so ask, why were they following you?" The Prince smiled tightly, a smile that reminded me of his father. I shivered and Yoko put his arm around me.

"Marriage. My father…" his eyes took on a cold look. "My father wishes it. By my seventeenth birthday, a bride must be chosen for me." Under his breath he said, "More like a bird. They chatter more any bird ever could." He looked back at us, and smiled, a genuine smile. And, for the prince, it must have taken all his willpower. A smile must not come easily to him.

"At least I'm home." He took a deep breath, and then looked closely at me. "Aren't you the one I saw in the hall? You're number," he thought for a moment. "Ten or eleven, I can't remember." He threw his hands up in the air. "Doesn't matter I guess. Thank you for helping me." Prince Zuko walked abruptly away, his hair still loose and his pants now a little stained with flower juice.

As soon as he was gone, Yoko put his head on my shoulder and was shaking from silent laughter. I leaned against him and laughed out loud.

"Oh, we need to stop. I feel bad for him." I said, standing upright and trying to shrug Yoko off. Yoko just grabbed my waist and held me closer. He smiled and I could see tears in his eyes.

"I do too." He said as he wiped his eyes on his sleeve. He sighed and sat on the bench, pulling me next to him. "Poor kid, not even seventeen yet and already the prospect of marriage is forced on him." I nodded.

"Let's not forget the girls although, they don't seem to have a problem." I said. Yoko held my hand and squeezed it.

"I heard that you are in line for marriage also."

I turned to look at him. His yellow eyes watched me seriously and my heart fluttered.

"What are you saying?" He turned his head and looked around.

"Nothing, only that if the gracious Prince Zuko decides not to marry you, I will." He kissed my hand and looked and me. "If you wish it." I couldn't help smiling.

"I wish it very much." He leaned in and really kissed me then.

…………………………….

Later, we returned to the palace to find both of my parents. As soon as my mother saw me, she rushed over, her mouth a thin line.

"Heavens child! Where have you been?" She said, her little body saying back and forth. Yoko came forward, bowing to her and my father. My father smiled, always having liked him. My mother, on the other hand, disliked the prospect of me being out and about with a young man alone. As Yoko and my father talked, she whispered her disapproval in my ear.

"Think about your station! What would the others think about your…wandering off with someone like him?" She jerked her head in Yoko's direction.

"Mama! Yoko is one of my best friends! Do you not remember him but at all? He is perfectly reasonable."

My mother shook her head and tightened her mouth, but said no more on the subject, for which I was grateful. My father, his round stomach bouncing, came over to us, Yoko trailing behind.

"Well, my dear wife, I have news for you! If the young prince does not choose our daughter as his bride, she will finally be married off to him!" He pointed to Yoko and smiled at my mother's upturned nose. "We'll at least be rid of her that way!" He smiled at me and pinched my cheek lightly.

"I've seen you two before, and if it didn't end like this, I would have been surprised." He whispered. "I hope you two will be happy." I kissed him on the cheek and smiled.

"Thank you papa!" He motioned Yoko over.

"But, I must say that no information will be revealed until the Prince's seventeenth birthday! Do not make yourselves known or there will be dire consequences! Understood?" He gave us both a stern look. We both nodded and smiled at each other. "Good!"

We walked into the palace hall for dinner. I had to sit at the table with the other brides, so Yoko sat with my parents. The prince, I was surprised to see, was sitting with us. He was next to Natsumi, closest to his father. I looked down at my plate and thought of Yoko. Looking up, I saw that he was staring at me. His eyes darted to the prince and we both smiled and hid our faces, shaking silently. Then the Fire Lord walked in. Everyone got up and bowed as he sat himself on the throne. He looked around, observing to room and its contents. When he came to his son, he smiled cynically. I shuddered.

"Begin." He waved his hand lazily and the servants brought out plates heaping with food. I ate very little, having only a few vegetables. Ren kept poking me in the side, wanting to know all about the prince or telling me what he was doing.

"Aya what was he wearing when you saw him?" and "Oh, look how he eats his food!" and "Who do you think he'll choose?"

I felt like I was going to throw up.

…………………………………..

After dinner, I went to my room. There, it was quiet, and I could read a new book that Yoko had gotten for me. I sighed and rifled through the pages, looking at some of the intricately drawn pictures.

The sun just bordered on the horizon, creating a magnificent sunset, something the Fire Nation was famous for. Turning to look out the open window, I could see the pinkish clouds in the sky, turning darker and darker as the sun sunk. Snapping my fingers, I lit the candle next to my bed with my own fire, savoring the heat I had created. Though I knew my father and mother disapproved of my firebending, would it matter if I did it once in a while? I shook my head and sat against the pillows on my bed, opening the book to the first page. I got halfway through when a new thought burst into my mind.

_The Avatar._

How could I have forgotten him? How could I have forgotten the Avatar? Wasn't he the reason Prince Zuko could return home? Wasn't he the only thing stopping Fire Lord Ozai from winning the war? Wasn't he the only one who could save the world?

Wasn't he, at this very moment, captured inside the palace walls?

I sat bolt upright. How, above all things, could I have forgotten the Avatar?

I got out of bed. I shook my head and sat down. What did it matter? He was the Avatar. So what? The Fire Nation needed to win the war. The Avatar was in the way, so problem solved.

I got up again.

But it was the Avatar. I knew how bad the war had gotten, how many lives had been lost, how many children without parents, how many families without sons and daughters. I knew that the Avatar could stop their pain.

I sat.

I couldn't help, I knew. What could someone like me do? Nothing. Nothing, just sit here and let the Avatar and the world die. Only the Avatar could stop the war.

I stood again.

No, that wasn't true. Someone else could stop the war. Someone who knew about Lord Ozai's disdain for others. Someone who knew all about the war.

Prince Zuko.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince Zuko or any other Avatar characters. I do own Aya, however, and her almost to be fiancé.

The first person I asked about the Avatar was Yoko. We met after lunch and were taking walk outside the palace walls, a rare occurrence in my case. It was very quiet as we walked along the water's edge so it was a perfect place to talk.

"Yoko, how much do you know about the Avatar?" I questioned. We were not allowed to show our affections for each other in public so I was walking a few steps away from him. His hands were clasped behind his back, a soldier's stance, and his brow was furrowed in thought.

"Aya, you and I both know about the Avatar. Must I repeat the same information?" I shook my head and pulled out my fan. It was a very warm day and the sun shone brightly in the cloudless sky.

"I mean this one, the one the Prince has caught. He's an Airbender, right?" Yoko nodded and stroked his chin. I smiled, watching him think.

"Yes, he is. I think he's about twelve, or so I hear. Actually, if that were true, he would be 112. He was gone for 100 years." I stopped walking after the second sentence. Yoko turned around and put a hand on my arm, noticing my shocked face.

"Only twelve? A twelve year old boy? And here I really thought he was an old man." Yoko took his hand away and we resumed walking, though more slowly. There was silence for a few moments as I mulled this over.

"Have you talked to the Prince at all?" I asked.

"Once or twice. He practices with the soldiers sometimes. He's nearly beat me a few times when we practice firebending." He looked at me. "Why do you ask?" I shrugged my shoulders and we lapsed into silence once again. The birds were chirping rather loudly in the trees and in the distance I could hear the shouts of the sailors on the ships. The water lapped the shore rhythmically with our steps. Yoko was the first one to break the calm.

"The Avatar has to be guarded all the time, I know at least. I'm going to be on one of the afternoon shifts so I won't be able to see you until after dinner." I shook my head, feeling sorry for the poor Avatar, only just a young boy.

"Have you ever seen him? The Avatar I mean." Yoko nodded his head tightly, his mouth becoming a grim line.

"I saw him when they first brought him in. He didn't look too good. They must've beaten him to make sure he didn't try to escape. Most likely they broke his hands and arms. That would've made it easier to travel with him." I sucked in breath but Yoko was still talking.

"There were also two others they brought in. Two teenagers from the water-tribe, a girl and a boy." His face turned thoughtful. "The girl, I think, was a waterbender. They took her away with the Avatar." I took a deep breath, reminding myself that these people were from the Fire Nation that I was from the Fire Nation that this is what they did.

"What about the boy?" I couldn't help asking.

"They made him a servant. He's going to be sold at the next auction in the marketplace. Today maybe, sometime soon."

"Are they going to kill the Avatar?" I asked, clutching the fan tightly, my knuckles white.

"No, Aya. He would just reincarnate himself and that wouldn't help the Fire Nation any, would it?" He smiled at me, his face a little sad. "It's almost certain they will kill the girl though. She put up an admirable fight as they were coming off the ship. She would be a threat if they left her alive." I sighed.

"I could help the boy. I feel like I should be doing something. I can't just stand around and watch the war anymore. But, what could I do?" I pleaded and my voice got high. I mentally slapped myself for acting like such a fool. Yoko looked forward as we approached the market.

"I wish I could tell you, Aya." He pointed. "They are auctioning off servants today. Look, there's the water-tribe boy." His finger stretched casually over the people standing on a raised deck. As we got closer, the crowd got larger and I could make out the blue clothes of the water-tribe. He stuck out considerably from the rest, all of whom were wearing red and maroon. I noticed he looked worse than the others; his arms were bruised and he had a large black eye. Yoko and I stood a ways back listening to the voices crying out the prices of the sales. I watched helplessly as the poor boy stood there, his shoulders drooping. I reached for my purse and Yoko noticed.

"You're not serious? Do you even have enough? You're parents will be extremely displeased." I glared at him.

"This is my one chance," I hissed. "I could save him from death and if I have to use the money from my dowry, so be it. This is one thing I can do right." Yoko watched me and sighed.

"I can loan you some right now if you don't have enough." He said, reaching for his own money. I smiled gratefully.

"Thank you. You don't know how much…" I was cut off as the sales for the water-tribe boy started.

"Twenty gold pieces! The starting price is twenty gold pieces!" The auctioneer yelled out over the heads of the crowd, looking for better offers. No one wanted the boy; everyone thought he looked like he could be trouble. The man frowned as he scanned the heads of the throng. I raised my hand, waving it to get his attention. He saw me and smiled. The water-tribe boy raised his head.

"Any more offers, for more than twenty gold pieces?" Someone else shouted, but it was too hard to make out.

"Ah, and offer for twenty-three gold pieces! Any more offers for more than twenty-three?" I quickly counted my money. Only just enough and there would be none left over for a long time. I raised my hand again.

"Twenty-five!" Yoko's strong voice carried higher than mine. The man nodded.

"Twenty-five, any more than twenty-five? No? Sold then to the lady in the back!" I barely contained my joy as Yoko guided me to the front to collect the boy. As Yoko was negotiating with the auctioneer, another soldier appeared at my side. He bowed and I bowed back.

"Lady Aya?" I nodded. "The Fire Lord wishes that you return to the palace immediately." I began to grow worried and my stomach clenched.

"Thank you, sir." We both bowed. Yoko looked at me, a worried look in his eyes. I smiled at him reassuringly.

"I'm sure it's nothing." He didn't quite think so.

"I take care of this Aya. You don't want to be late."

"Don't worry, Yoko."

The boy was starring at me intently and I felt like I should say something, a heartening word of some sort. I smiled.

"Yoko will take good care of you." I finally said, looking at him in the eye. He looked down and remained silent, watching his feet. I turned away and nervously made my way back to the palace with the guard.

……………………………….

There was a cluster of girls outside the entrance hall, all of whom were whispering loudly, ears pressed against the door. I saw Ren and walked over to her.

"What is going on?" I asked quietly. She grabbed my arm and pulled me closer. Her eyes were wide with surprise but she was smiling.

"They're having an argument in there." She pointed towards the closed doors. Faintly, I could hear shouting voices.

"Who's in there, Ren?" I whispered.

"The Fire Lord and his brother." Her eyes flicked back and forth as a loud noise came from inside. "They're arguing about Prince Zuko. I don't think Lord Iroh is happy about…" The door suddenly swung open and the girls hushed immediately as Lord Iroh walked out, looking unhappy. He passed by without saying a word and ignored the fact that everyone was watching him. Most of us remembered to bow though some later than others. After he had gone, we looked inside the room. The Fire Lord was seated on his throne beckoning us in. He was smiling and my stomach fluttered.

"Ah, ladies. Please come in." We kneeled on the floor and stood, waiting for him to speak again. There was a moment of silence as I held my breath.

"My son," he gestured but I didn't dare turn my head. None of us even made the slightest glance. "My son will be seventeen soon. In thirty days, he will have a bride." The Fire Lord spoke slowly, showing no emotion whatsoever. I stared at the floor.

"One of you. He will be meeting with each of you; each day, then he will make his decision. I suggest you do your best to impress because thirty days is not a long time. Dismissed." The Fire Lord sat quietly as the hall emptied. I was one of the first one's gone.

………………………………

"He's quite talkative, your little friend." Yoko said as he brought the water-tribe boy to my parent's house. "Couldn't keep his mouth shut on the way here. Can't see why you'd want him." I stared at both of them, one dressed in a red soldier's uniform, the other in a simple blue outfit. The boy was quiet now. I couldn't tell whether Yoko was being sarcastic or not.

"What's his name? Did you figure that out?" I wondered. Yoko nodded and put a hand on the boy's shoulder, pushing him forward a little. The boy glared at him, barely inching towards me.

"His name is Sokka, I think. I couldn't understand over all the swearing he was doing. He has a fairly interesting vocabulary." I raised my eyebrows.

"Really?" I examined the boy, Sokka. He watched me with steady eyes. I noticed they were blue. "You should both come in; Kiku will make us some tea." Kiku was our only other servant and once my nurse. She was fairly old but extremely friendly. I found her in the kitchen.

"Kiku, we have some visitors." Her brown eyes sparkled as she saw me and she came out to meet Yoko.

"Hello, hello, and who is this?" She asked, noticing Sokka. Yoko glanced at me and I narrowed my eyes.

"He's a new servant. He'll be working with Aki, with father's rhinos. His name is Sokka." I said, trying to smile at the boy. He looked away and I thought I saw tears. Kiku clucked her tongue.

"He'll need some new clothes and a bath first. Even though working with a rhino is no clean job." She bustled into the kitchen to get us some tea. I looked back at Sokka, still standing solidly in the middle of the room in front of Yoko. I beckoned him over with a wave of my hand. Hesitantly, and with a nudge from Yoko, he walked in my direction.

"I'm not going to hurt you, you know." I said, trying to encourage him. His blue eyes filled with distrust and some hate. I sighed and looked at Yoko helplessly.

"You can get another pair of clothes from Aki. He's a few years older than you, but his clothes will fit, I'm sure." He still wouldn't look at me. I became aware that his hands were tied together. I shook my head.

"Look, I know that you don't want to be here. I know that you want to most likely kill all of us in the Fire Nation. I'm trying to help you by keeping you from the people in the Fire Nation who would kill _you_. It will go so much easier if you just listen to us and work here in the house." I watched him with insistent eyes, knowing that this would not have happened had he been a real servant. Anyone else would've beaten him. There were a few moments of silence in which Sokka looked between me and Yoko, as if deciding whether or not to trust us. Finally, he nodded.

"I…I will." His voice was hoarse. "I will." His blue eyes rested on me. "Can…can you help my sister? If…I…If I help you?" He wanted a deal, one that I wasn't sure I could hold up. Yoko was warning me with his eyes, but the poor boy looked so desperate.

"I can try." It was all I could do. I put my hands on his bonded ones and felt him tense. He looked down, as if taken aback that I could show sympathy. I put a hand underneath his head and lifted it up so I could look into his eyes.

"There's only so much I can do. I can help you right now, but you're going to have to trust me. Not everyone from the Fire Nation is bad." He jerked his head away and I stepped away from him. Yoko came and stood next to me.

"Untie his hands. I'll take him to the stables." I said to Yoko. He stepped around Sokka and pulled out a knife. The boy stepped back and almost fell over our tea table. His eyes widened in fright as Yoko grabbed his hands and cut the rope. Then he put the knife away, smiling slightly. I gave Yoko a heated look and he shrugged his shoulders. I grabbed the boy's arm since he didn't look like he could move. I pulled him to the back of our house passing Kiku on her way with the tea.

"I'll be right back!" I called over my shoulder, still dragging Sokka along. We went around Kiku's garden and into the stable area. By now, Sokka was resisting and trying to wrench his hand from my grasp. I was older, so a little stronger, but if he pulled any harder, I would lose him. Eventually, we got to the rhinos, shuffling slightly in their large stalls. I let go of the boy and he stood very still in the middle of the room.

"Aki, where are you?" I called quietly, not wanting to upset the beasts. One of the stall doors opened and a man walked out, his maroon clothes stained with dirt. He smiled and bowed his head slightly.

"My lady, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked starring at Sokka. I raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I've brought that help you've always been asking for. He needs some clothes though. Besides the one's he's wearing. I was hoping he could borrow a pair of yours?" Aki nodded and inspected Sokka.

"Have you ever worked with animals before, boy?" He asked, eyes narrowed. Sokka shook his head but stopped.

"I know about…" He halted and looked skeptically at us and his voice grew quiet. "Giant bison and a lemur." He mumbled. Aki threw back his head and laughed.

"Well, I guess that counts for something, doesn't it?" He said putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. Sokka nodded and shrugged faintly. Aki shook his head, throwing a look at me. "I think I'll find some use for him here." I smiled.

"Just…be nice." I said before I left.

**Author Time:** Even though I haven't gotten many reviews, I would like to thank everyone who has read my story. Also, I've been having trouble deciding what to do with Katara as I really don't want her to die. If anyone has any suggestions about her fate, please let me know! Thanks again!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Avatar characters.

Over the next few days, I was awakened every morning by Kiku.

"Lady Aya, your friend, Lady Ren, is at the door waiting for you." I groaned and finished opening my eyes. Looking outside I saw that the sun was only barely rising. Kiku tapped her foot against the floor then walked into my room. She pulled out my clothes for the day and began to lay them neatly out. I sat up in bed and was dressed with a little help from Kiku. She fixed my hair quickly and pushed me out the door into Ren.

"Aya, I can't wait! I'll get to meet Prince Zuko in only two days! Can you believe it?" She grasped my arm and we began the short walk into the main entrance to the palace. There were other people making their way inside so we veered off to the right to meet with the other girls. Natsumi, I was pleased to see, wasn't there. They were all chatting and Ren left me. For the past couple days the Prince had been trying to meet every one of the potential brides, starting with number twenty. Ren's turn was coming up and she wanted to know every possible shred of information about Prince Zuko. I followed her. Even though I didn't want to admit it, I was too, was curious about Prince Zuko. I stood by the wall, listening to their talk.

"He likes to firebend with is Uncle. He showed me the training area." One of the younger girls was telling the group. She was about eleven or twelve, a little strange that she had been chosen as a bride. However, several of the girls were only a year or two older.

"He even showed me some of his…" The girl blushed. "Some of his moves." The other girls laughed and continued asking questions about the Prince. I chuckled along with them. I would be able to talk to the Prince the day after Ren. I had a plan, one that probably wouldn't work, but I had to try it anyway. Sokka was counting on me. And I was counting on Prince Zuko.

……………………………

"Aya, you must tell me everything he says! Do you want to know anything else about him?" Ren had come over and was helping me pick out the dress I would wear to meet Prince Zuko. She looked through my trunk as Kiku stood waiting to help me dress. There was a knock on the doorframe and all of us turned. Sokka was standing in the doorway, his cheeks beginning to turn a violent shade of red. I heard Ren giggle behind me.

"My Lady," he mumbled. "Aki sent me up here to let you know that you're going to be late." The rest came out in a rush as if he wanted to get away as quickly as possible. I nodded as he stood waiting for my command of leave. He was shifting from foot to foot.

"You can go, Sokka." I said waving my hand. He left and Ren laughed loudly. Kiku clucked her tongue and started shifting through my trunk.

"Come on, just wear this one." She pulled out a black and red kimono and started putting it one me. She brushed my hair into a bun and pushed me and Ren out of the room. I waltzed downstairs, holding Ren's hand as if we were dancing. Kiku shook her head but I could see a smile forming on her lips. Ren and I went all the way down the steps until we came to the main living area. Sokka was waiting by the door, talking to Aki about something. He certainly looked much happier than he had a few days ago. I stopped in front of them where Kiku clucked like a hen and started straightening me out.

"You're a mess." She sighed as she started fixing my hair. I grinned at Aki who returned the smile. Sokka watched me, his eyes wide.

"My Lady, you are looking lovely to-day!" Aki said as he bowed deeply. I giggled. Sokka looked down on the ground.

"Well, of course she does! We must have her looking beautiful for our Prince!" Ren said standing next to Aki.

"What?" Sokka cried suddenly his blue eyes starring at me intently. "You're going to see Zuko?" Aki smacked the side of his head gently with a scowl on his face.

"_Prince_ Zuko, Sokka. He is the Fire Lord's _son_." He said sternly. Sokka rubbed the side of his head while alternately glaring at me and Aki. He muttered something unintelligible under his breath and cast his eyes once more on the ground. Kiku patted my shoulder softly and gave me a kind shove towards the door. I smiled at her and brushed her hand away. Putting on the stuffiest face I could muster I stuck my nose high in the air and looked around at everyone in a mock superior way.

"I must be off, servants, to meet the Fire Lord's son, Prince Zuko. I will do everything in my power to seduce him and make him mine. I will say nothing offensive in any way and only subtly suggest that we should become engaged. Please, leave me so I will not have to be disgraced by your inferiority." Ren was laughing behind her hand and Kiku was looking at me with a disapproving stare. Aki rolled his eyes.

"Come on Aya." Ren linked her arm with mine and with a wave we set off on the short walk to the palace. My parents would already be there, almost certainly not waiting for me like the other mothers and fathers had done. I was already getting, hopefully, married to Yoko. They wouldn't waste their time briefing me on how to act in front of the prince. As we approached, I noticed that the crowd of young possible brides had gathered at the steps as well as a nervous looking guard. When they noticed Ren and I, they converged upon us, wishing me luck or telling me how wonderful I looked. My eyes never left the guard, however. I excused myself from them, leaving Ren behind as well. I strode briskly up to the guard and lowered my eyes.

"Sir, do you know where I might find Prince Zuko?" The guard nodded and smiled.

"Are you Lady Aya?" He asked quietly. I nodded and he waved a hand to the entrance. "I am to escort you to him, my lady." He said. He moved forward and I followed looking back only once to Ren who waved briefly to me. The young man led me through the palace hallways, ones that I had only just traveled through recently. Why had they sent an escort? It was not like I would get lost as I knew almost every passageway. Only the very top sections of the palace were off-limits. It was where the royal family lived and we all knew that Lord Ozai disliked being disturbed. We had finally come to a small room and the guard knocked three times. A voiced sounded from inside and he opened the door. Looking inside I could see the prince and his uncle seated at a table and having tea. The guard gestured that I go inside and he shut the door behind me. I knelt before them and then stood, waiting.

Lord Iroh was smiling pleasantly though he had dark circles under his eyes and he looked a little tired.

"You must be Lady Aya. I recognize you from the entrance hall. Please have a seat." He waved his hand to an empty cushion next to Prince Zuko. The prince had looked up but he was only smiling faintly as though he had not come willingly.

"Lady Aya, would you like something to drink? I was just about to leave and I believe that my nephew was planning to go for a walk." Lord Iroh looked across the table at Zuko and nodded. The prince sighed under his breath and stood. Turning towards me, he offered me his arm.

"Would you like to join me?" He asked. I nodded, stood, and grasped his arm lightly. He led me out of the room not once looking back at his uncle. I followed Prince Zuko as we once again walked through the palace halls until we came to a private garden. He went to a bench and sat down, unconsciously dropping his arm from mine. I stayed standing, marveling at the garden's splendor.

There were flowers and plants here that could not have been found anywhere else in the palace, except maybe in the over private gardens. The colors almost hurt my eyes, they were so bright, and the sun only added to its beauty. I sighed with pleasure. He looked up at me in a startled way and waved his hand over the space next to him.

"Have a seat." He murmured. It was more of a command than an invitation. I sat and once more looked around. The silence between us grew longer and longer, and soon it was most uncomfortable.

"You…you really don't want to be here, do you?" I asked, watching him. Zuko looked at me in surprise.

"What makes you say that?" He asked. I smiled and averted my eyes.

"I'm sorry, prince, but it just seems that way. I can understand of course. You have been quite busy with the other young girls. I know it can get tiresome." He chuckled softly next to me and I was afraid to look up.

"Yes, yes that is very true. All of them ask the same questions over and over. They all want to know the same things. They all talk about the same things. Only once in a while do they say something interesting." He sighed and leaned back against the stone bench. I nodded my head slightly. There was a period of silence, not as awkward as before.

"What do you want to know? Anything?" He asked suddenly. I glanced up quickly only to discover that he was watching me intently. My eyes immediately went back to my lap.

"No, my prince, nothing in particular. They have told me most of it anyway."

"Ah, I see."

Silence.

"What do you want to know, Prince Zuko?" I believed my question surprised him for he started suddenly.

"What?"

"Would you like to know anything about me? Isn't this why you were meeting the girls in the first place? To get to know them?"

"I-I guess…"

"I'm a firebender, though I hardly know any forms at all."

"Really?" He seemed generally interested.

"Yes. My father forbids me to learn. I think he is afraid that if I do, I would beat him." I smiled, knowing it was true.

"Unfortunate."

"I believe so. I know _you_ are a firebender, Prince Zuko. I once passed by your training area when you first got back. It was amazing."

"Thank you." He sounded embarrassed. "My father expects perfection." I tensed.

"So does mine, though he is a bit lax." I smoothed my dress.

"I have had a bit of a problem adjusting here. It was easier to be only _known_ as a prince while I was away. Now it is harder to _be_ a prince." I nodded.

"I have always wondered what it is like to be a true noble."

"But you are noble, are you not?"

"Yes, I suppose in birth but I have trouble acting like one." He chuckled quietly and I looked up. Thankfully, he was looking away but his scar was close to me. I could identify each groove and see how the colors changed from the dark red around his eye to the lighter red on his cheek. It looked strange and unreal, and I could hardly believe that his own father had inflicted it upon him. He must have felt my gaze as he turned to look back at me. I moved my eyes swiftly down onto the bench.

"Why do you do that?" He asked.

"What do you mean, my prince?"

"How come you can't look at me?" His question was so innocent that I couldn't help but smile.

"I am not allowed to."

He sighed audibly.

"I have been away too long. I can't even remember even the simplest customs of the Fire Nation. There was quiet and I could hear the faint chirping of the birds.

"Look at me." He said after a minute.

"Pardon me?"

"Look at me. Look into my eyes." He commanded. Slowly, I raised my eyes and found his face. His golden eyes were staring purposely into mine. I found it, strangely, hard to look directly at his face while he looked right back. He was very still. I wanted to look away but was afraid he would command me not too. I shifted uncomfortably. Finally, my eyes moved automatically to the bench and he let out a loud sigh. I hadn't realized I had been holding my breath until that moment.

"It took you longer than the others. Most of the younger ones would look longer, though." He was quiet for a minute as I tried to regulate my breathing.

"I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable." He said genuinely. I mumbled a reply still looked at the same spot. Another period of silence followed and I began to wonder if this is what he had to go through every day for the past couple of days.

"You have changed a lot, Prince Zuko." I said finally. I could feel his body shift beside me.

"So many people have said. I guess I have." I didn't know if he meant from the time of his departure or from the time he had gotten back. Then, I remembered the real reason I had wanted to talk to him.

"Prince Zuko…" I started. "I wanted to ask you about the Avatar." When I looked up, his yellow eyes were on me. This time, my own eyes lingered for a moment longer then slipped away.

"Where do you keep him? And I was also wondering about…" I trailed off with a thoughtful on face. I could sense his eyes on me. "I was wondering about the waterbender. What are they going to do with her?" He made a strange sound in his throat as if in surprise.

"How did you now about her?" He asked.

"A…a friend told me." I didn't want to mention Yoko in case it got him into trouble. I knew that if he ordered me to tell, I would but I would refrain from doing so willingly. I didn't want to mention Sokka either. He sighed.

"I don't know. The Avatar, they told me, is kept in a room somewhere in the palace. It is made completely of metal with no earth behind the walls. He is always chained and his mouth is covered. I think they may have broken his arms or at least hurt them badly enough so that he cannot bend any element." I watched him with horror. This had all been done to a boy, a twelve-year old boy! How could the Fire Lord do something like that, even to his enemy? I knew, though, that it was something he would do. He would do anything to win the war even if it meant torturing a child. He had already maimed his own.

As the Prince's face turned toward mine, I hurriedly looked at my lap. I felt so sad, so…empty. This was not what the Fire Nation wanted. This was something much worse. This was something that was almost unthinkable. I knew that being loyal to the Fire Lord meant life, but what the Avatar was trying to accomplish was what was _right_. It was something that we could all believe in…peace. Would the Fire Lord kill every person not loyal to the Fire Nation? I believed he would. He was capable of doing anything. He would let nothing get in his way; not his family, not the Avatar, not even the pain of his own people.

Suddenly, an unexpected tear ran down my cheek and fell into my lap. Surprised, I wiped another one away from my face. I realized that the prince was staring at me and I turned away, embarrassed. But I couldn't stop the tears. They were rolling down my cheeks and onto my dress in rapid succession. I didn't want Prince Zuko, above all people, to see me crying. I could feel my face turn hot and used my sleeve to wipe away the tears on my cheeks. Then there was a warm hand perched delicately on my shoulder. I looked with astonishment into the face of the prince, his face slightly guilty.

"Are you okay?" He asked awkwardly. "Please, I'm sorry I said anything. I didn't know…" I shook my head and tried to smile.

"I think it's better if I know." I said in a shaky voice. "I'm sorry, Prince Zuko. It's not your fault." He withdrew his hand and there was a period of discomfited silence as I tried to make myself look more respectable, at least as if I hadn't been crying at all. I could feel the prince shifting uncomfortably next to me.

"There's a lot of hope for you, Prince Zuko." I said quietly.

"What do you mean?" He sounded a little worried, maybe wondering whether I would start crying again.

"When the Fire Lord is gone and you take his place," I said. "Many people believe that you will end the war if he does not. Many think you should follow in his footsteps."

Silence.

"Others, however, hope that you will follow a more peaceful path. They hope that with the Avatar, you can bring the nations together. They believe that you will be a great Fire Lord and that you will bring peace to us all." I couldn't help myself. I was one who believed in Prince Zuko. I knew others did, but I knew mine was the strongest.

"I do not think he wants me to become the Fire Lord." Zuko whispered. I heard disappointment in his voice. "I know he does not want me to rule."

"We still have hope, my prince." I said looking sadly at my lap.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Avatar characters.

It was a while before I had to leave and the rest of that time was spent in silence. I don't think he liked me as well as maybe one of the other girls, but I dismissed it from my mind. It didn't matter to me anymore. In fact, it had never mattered. The only reason I had wanted to talk to him in the first place was to find out about the Avatar. And I had learned much about him. To free him would be an unthinkable…no, _impossible_ task to accomplish and I was a fool if I once thought that it was possible.

The Avatar, my last desperate hope.

But for what? What was there to hope for now? I sat, back in my room, not knowing how to feel after my encounter with the Prince of the Fire Nation. I had closed my door and not even talked to Ren, only asking for a cup of tea from Kiku.

Holding the warm, steaming cup of tea between my two hands, I stared into it's depths as if could tell me the answers of life. I couldn't live like this, with the Fire Lord and his war. I didn't know how to feel about anything now. The Avatar….

I took a sip of tea. The hot drink burned my tongue and I relished the pain. That, at least, was something I was sure about. My tongue burned and I knew I felt pain. At this, I almost laughed. That laugh turned into tears and suddenly I was crying into my cup of tea. I didn't know why, but I just couldn't get a picture out of my head; a young boy chained against a wall, arms hanging uselessly at his sides, clothes torn, face bloody. There was a knock and I must've said something because they soon left; I could hear footsteps walking away. I cried for a few more minutes, and when I couldn't cry any more, I stood up. I wiped the lingering tears from my eyes and face, and then went to the door. Slowly, I opened it and looked down the hallway. Just as I suspected, I could see Ren, Kiku, Aki, and Sokka standing in a little group whispering quietly to each other. Kiku saw me first and rushed over to where I was standing.

"Oh, Aya, are you alright? What was the matter? What happened?" She hugged me tightly, a bold move for her, but I barely noticed.

"I'm so sorry. Please, forgive my actions." I said, trying to make for the fact that I had ignored them all before. Kiku shook her head, muttered that it was nothing to be worried about. My eyes traveled over Ren who was looking worriedly at me, Aki who was watching me intently with something like understanding, and Sokka. I could tell he wanted to say something and I knew exactly what it was. I motioned to him and he stepped hurriedly forward, emotions raging beneath his composed features. Kiku stepped away.

"Would you leave us please? I need to talk to Sokka alone." Kiku looked at me strangely and opened her mouth to say something but Aki hushed her.

"Let's go, Kiku, Ren. Lady Aya needs to be alone." Aki said in a quiet tone. Ren looked at me and I smiled to reassure her. Though she didn't look like it, she smiled back as though comforted and followed Aki and Kiku downstairs. I could hear them talking as I looked back at Sokka.

"Come." I said and began to walk back to my room. I wanted to sit down and thought he might need a chair as well. Hesitantly, I heard his footsteps behind mine. I went into my room and sat heavily on the cushion that had been out earlier.

"You can sit, if you want." I said to Sokka, who was looking uncomfortable standing in my room. He nodded curtly and sat cross-legged on the wooden floor. I sighed and passed a hand over my face, rubbing my forehead gently.

"Sokka," I began, and then stopped. What was I supposed to say? That there was no hope for his sister, that they had, in fact, killed her like so many other unfortunate prisoners? I could hardly bring myself to talk but realized that it was not going to be the hardest on me, but on him.

"Sokka, I'm so sorry." I think he knew then, for sure at least. He put his head in his hands and made no more noise. I think he knew it was coming, but that didn't make it any better. Truly, it made it a whole lot worse.

"I don't think she is…" Alive, I wanted to say. She's not alive. But he knew and I could tell that he was crying now, silent sobs shaking drooping shoulders. Poor Sokka. Poor, poor Sokka. I could do nothing for him, nothing at all. That painful feeling of helplessness washed over me once again and my eyes began filling with tears. I swallowed, reached out for him, thought better of it, and withdrew. I wanted to tell him that the Fire Nation was not bad; we were not an evil people. I wanted to tell him about the beautiful mountains here, the sweet-smelling blossoms that bloomed every summer. I wanted to show him the sunsets we saw every night, fiery red and orange colors lighting up the clouds. I wanted to let him know that there were good people here, loyal people, who didn't want to kill or to hurt others; who didn't hold children captive and murder young girls.

I couldn't. I really couldn't.

Why would he believe me? His sister had most likely died at the Fire Lord's own hands, or murdered on his own orders. I couldn't tell him that we did not inflict death and destruction on his people, because we did.

And for the first time in my entire life, I wished I was not a citizen of the Fire Nation.

………………………………..

Later, Aki told me that Sokka had run away to the coastline. There was a moment in which my heart jumped to my throat, but Aki reassured that he was going to come back. I could see the obvious doubt in his eyes but nodded and, for a little while, believed him.

That night, almost as I fell asleep, the house shook. I woke with a start and I could hear screaming in the streets below. Unbelievably scared, I climbed out of bed and rushed downstairs. I was met by my father in his night clothes yelling that there had been an explosion at the palace. My stepmother was crying and Kiku was trying in vain to comfort her. I felt light-headed and confused. An explosion? At the palace? My thoughts went immediately to Sokka, but I saw him a second later following Aki to check on the Rhinos. I could hear them lowing loudly from outside.

My stepmother rushed over when she saw me and latched onto me, crying into my shoulder. Rhythmically, I patted her on the back and watched my father run outside, somehow now in his armor. I could hear cries from outside and could just see a large cloud of smoke rising above the palace roof. I felt so numb. Who could have done something like this? Who really could have? The palace was nearly like a large armored tank. It was like trying to save the Avatar…impossible.

Then I understood.

The Avatar. Someone was trying to free him.

………………………………………..

In the morning, the fire had been put out. Several of the nobles homes had been burnt along with the palace and the families were staying with whomever they could find. So far, my father learned that a kind of explosive had been created and was placed close by the Avatar's cell. The prison had exploded, of course, but two soldiers had died and they had not found the Avatar.

No one was allowed to talk to the Fire Lord.

Apparently, he was in the worse mood he had ever been in since he had been alive. That's what my father had said anyways. He had nearly strangled one of the generals and was now locked up in the Throne Room, fuming and throwing fire at anyone who dared even knock. We were not allowed out of our houses, not even to buy food. Not that we needed to but others did. Luckily, and amazingly, there were soldiers sent out to make sure everyone was okay…and to search our houses for the culprit. The Fire Lord believed that the arsonist must have been an inside man to be able to have such access to the Avatar's cell. On the third day, it was our turn.

We all had to stand in the middle of our living room, watched by soldiers, until they had scanned the entire household. Then, they gave us the okay and we were allowed to resume….living.

"The Fire Lord told his second in command to search every house each week until the criminal is found." My father said as the soldiers left. Kiku immediately began to bustle about, cleaning up anything the soldiers had knocked down or put out of place while searching. She ran upstairs and we could all hear her rummaging around. I looked back at my father's face, a slab of stone set on top of a mountain of dough. He sighed and picked up his red, spiked helmet. He looked fine in his amour, at least, that's what I used to think when I was younger. Now, it looked grotesque to me. It made me think of death.

"The Fire Lord wants all available hand s to search for the criminal until he is found. Everyone who is not leaving to the Earth Kingdom or busy elsewhere is employed to search the Fire Nation." He sighed and kissed my stepmother gently on the cheek. "I won't be back for a little while. A couple of month's maybe, at the most." I nodded, looking down at my feet. That meant he would miss my birthday. I was turning nineteen and I hoped he remembered.

"Aya, my dear, I'm sorry." He said, as if he could read my mind. I looked up and there he was, smiling fondly down on me. "Don't worry my girl. There's something special for you later. Your mother knows." He winked in her direction and my stepmother smiled knowingly. Behind his hand he whispered quietly, "Don't worry. I'll be back for your wedding as well." I blushed a little at his mention of Yoko. Turning to face Aki and Sokka, he smiled sadly.

"Take care." With that, Aki led him outside where a rhino was waiting to take him to the palace. He would join up with his unit there and move out in an hour or two. They would be briefed and then each team would leave. I sighed and watched him go, the rhino swinging its tail back and forth. A raindrop fell and I looked up. The sky was one dark cloud, hanging over us like an ominous sign. Aki sighed and pushed me inside.

"No visiting the palace today, Lady Aya." He said as he shut the door. _No indeed,_ I thought. _Not with the mood the Fire Lord is in._ I sat on one of our soft cushions at our little polished table. Kiku made my stepmother and me tea and then sat down with us. Aki and Sokka had gone outside to make sure the rhinos were not getting wet. As I sipped my tea thoughtfully, I figured we had been lucky not to lose my father so far. Through one of the larger windows, part of the burnt palace came into view; a straight tower, half charred black and the inside getting wet in the rain. I sighed again and thought of the Fire Lord, looked a large room, charring the walls the same color black with his fire.

I was beginning to wonder if the Fire Lord was completely sane.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I really like the Avatar characters but I did not make them up. The people who work for the people who create the show did. And I am not worthy to kiss the paper they draw on or the pencils they use.

The searches continued and we continued living. The palace was being rebuilt and what was not destroyed was being repaired. The rest of the palace shared houses with relatives and friends. Life went on.

And still no one had found the Avatar.

The Fire Lord must have been crazed. He had sent every soldier throughout the Fire Nation to look for the Avatar and whoever his accomplice was. Sokka, I could see, was aching to leave. Whenever he was not doing work, he sat next to one of the windows and stared at nothing. Sometimes I caught him crying, thinking about his sister, now dead like so many others. My heart went out to him and I knew there was nothing I could do to help him or comfort him. Several times, I caught myself thinking about letting him go, but what would that have done? He would have been caught and killed for sure and I would never forgive myself if that had ever happened. So I let him be, and maybe that helped him a little, just knowing that we would not disturb him.

Sometimes Yoko came by and we walked through the palace gardens, still lovely and bright even if the walls around them weren't. Most of the nobles avoided the palace now, but I had been hoping to see Prince Zuko for some time. Yoko told me that he had been training with the soldiers every day and had surpassed many of them, even their teacher. Yoko had also told me that the Fire Lord blamed his son for the Avatar's escape.

……………………………..

It was a nice day, so I decided to take a walk by myself. Outside, the sun shone with a graceful brilliance that made even the burned palace look majestic. I sighed as I turned the corner to enter the left wing of the palace, one of the only places spared by the fire. Ren would have called my being alone in the house of the Fire Lord "dangerous" but I continued on my way, nodding politely to the other nobles wandering around.

A garden.

I entered the deserted area only to discover that is was not exactly empty. There, with his back facing me, was Lord Iroh. I bowed to him and he turned around. When I looked up, his face was a mask of sadness and I immediately though of his brother, Fire Lord Ozai, the one who had brought so much sadness to us. He smiled, although forcefully, and I stood slowly while smoothing my dress.

"You are Lady Aya, I believe?" I nodded and looked at one of the bright flowers drooping from a tree.

"I'm sorry if I have disturbed you, Lord Iroh." He shook his head.

"No, Lady Aya. In fact, I think we would rather enjoy your company if you wish to stay." I raised my eyebrows slightly. Was there someone else here?

"My nephew and I have not had very much company these last few days." He sighed and I did a double-take. Prince Zuko was here? Iroh moved slightly to the right and I could then see the Prince, sitting silently on a bench beside one of the flower-laden trees. His head hung desolately between his drooping shoulders. I took a tentative step forward and bowed. He looked up once and stared at me, his eyes having a far away look as if was looking right through me. Iroh smiled slightly, but I could still see sadness in his eyes.

"Zuko, this is the young lady you told me about once, I think." Zuko nodded absently and Iroh put a gentle hand on his nephew's shoulder. Zuko flinched, but didn't move or pull away. Iroh looked up at me.

"Excuse me, but I think I will go get some tea." He left silently, the sun's golden rays reflecting off of his red robes. Zuko was now looking at some of the large orb-shaped yellow flowers waving faintly next to him.

"May I Prince Zuko?" I asked motioning towards the bench. He nodded, not moving his eyes off the flower. I sat, watching him with worried eyes. He looked paler than I had seen him last and he seemed more…distant. Then, with one hand, he slowly reached out to touch the bright yellow petals of the flower. His fingertip touched it gently and then his whole hand encircled it. He let out a short breath and pulled his hand away. The flower was burning up like a candle until it fell off its stem and smoldered on the ground next to us. I watched his hands; long slender fingers, pale thin wrists, and short bitten nails. I almost laughed out loud then. A Prince who bites his nails, who would have thought? His face, however, was solemn and looked much older than just a sixteen year old. We were silent for a long while until I began to wonder where his uncle had wandered off to.

"My father still wants me to get married." His voice was hoarse and quiet. I could only just hear him. "He's eliminated the last ten girls and told me that I have to pick someone soon." He put his head in his hands and I let out a short breath. _The last ten girls._

"Prince Zuko…" I started but my mind went blank. What was I supposed to say? That I was sorry? He looked up at me with a questioning look and I shook my head, muttering that it was nothing. We sat in silence for some time I remembered the conversation that took place the last time we were alone. I could hardly believe that it only took place a few days ago since so much had happened throughout the last few days. Silently I counted the days that had gone by. My eyes widened in surprise. That meant that there were only seven days until the Prince's birthday. I squirmed uncomfortably on the seat. That would not be a very pleasant ceremony. Zuko suddenly turned to me.

"There are three girls that I chose." His yellow eyes were boring into me and I couldn't look at him at all.

"Are you going to tell me who?" I wondered quietly as I gripped the cold stone bench. He sighed.

"Natsumi, the first girl my father picked." I wrinkled my nose and frowned. She was at least three years older than him, but her family was rich and powerful. It would be a perfect match…politically.

"There was also a very quiet girl by the name of Naomi. She is one before you." I smiled, cheered up by this. Naomi was quiet but she was very smart, even if her family did not have as high of a status as Natsumi's. I felt him shift next to me and I relaxed.

"I also choose…you." My heart missed a few beats and my head turned quickly to him. He was watching me steadily. I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. Why had he chosen me? I didn't think that _I_ would be a good match for him.

"My…father…has to approve of my choices, however." I nodded, taking deep breathes, hoping that _just maybe_ the Fire Lord would not approve of me. He was still watching me and I smiled with what I hoped was a little happiness. A noise at the door distracted both of us. I first expected it to be Lord Iroh back with his tea but I was taken aback. Standing, with a small smile on his face, was Fire Lord Ozai. I bowed low to the ground until he walked up to us and stood beside the bench.

"Ah, Lady Aya, I see you are getting to know my son better?" I stood slowly and kept my eyes on the ground.

"Yes, my Lord." I muttered quietly. Prince Zuko was standing perfectly straight next to his father and I could tell that he was as nervous as I was.

"Please, Lady, will you excuse us?" He spoke so kindly that it scared me. I bowed again and walked gracefully to the entrance of the garden. I took one quick look back to see Prince Zuko's panic-stricken face, and then swept out before the Fire Lord got angry.

As I continued down the palace halls, I heard several voices coming from a room close by. I slowed down to listen; not to eavesdrop, but because one of the voices sounded like Yoko's. The door to the room was slightly agar and I was eager to see Yoko and tell him about Prince Zuko. Pushing the door with one hand I smiled and opened my mouth to greet him.

My breath caught in my throat at what I saw.

Yoko was standing very close to the one person that I expected the least; Natsumi. He was close enough to be touching her and her long, thin arms were wrapped tightly around his shoulders, as if they were about to kiss. She saw me over his shoulder and backed away quickly. Yoko, wondering what was happening, pushed her away a bit and then whirled around.

I left.

If someone called after me, I ignored them. I couldn't hear anything over the sound of my heart shattering to pieces as I ran through the hallways. Tears were streaming down my face and I didn't bother to wipe them away. Behind me, I could feel someone following me but I continued on, ignoring the stares of the other nobles and tripping over my dress.

"Aya! Aya, please wait!" Yoko's voice carried after me but I went on until I came to a maze; the same one that I had first seen Yoko when he came back. Why does everything happen in gardens around here? I hesitated, heard Yoko coming after me, and rushed inside. He wouldn't know his way through the maze, would he? He had been gone so long that he might not remember. I turned several corners, could still hear him close by, and continued on, tears still running down my face. As I came to a dead end, there was complete silence and I slid onto the ground, covering my face with my hands. There was nothing I had to look forward to now. I would have to tell my father that I could not, would not, marry Yoko anymore. Not after…after what I had seen. I cried quietly for what seemed like hours, sobbing into my hands, my shoulders shaking, until I could not cry anymore. I wiped my face with a soiled sleeve and stood up shakily. I brushed the dirt from my dress and straightened it as best as I could. A few stray tears slid down my cheeks and I hurriedly wiped them away.

"I have to…confront Yoko." I whispered to myself, convincing myself that it was what I should do. I took one step forward and began making my way out of the maze. I kept thinking that maybe this was a big mistake, maybe something happened and it was just a misunderstanding.

"I have to talk to Yoko. I have to talk to Yoko. I have to give him a chance…" I kept repeating this to myself as I walked slowly out of the maze garden, seemingly so empty now. I would have to try to let Yoko explain himself and his actions. I had to try to put my shattered heart back together.


	7. Chapter 7

Miss SJB: Glad you like the story, maybe this chapter will help you.

Clearheart: Thanks, I really hoped that people would like it because I've been trying no to make it too mary-sue-ish.

BeautifulFirestone: Thank you and I hope it continues to be interesting!

Mikomialchemist: Umm…thank you for reading? Don't worry I will try to update as much as possible!

Breathelsslove: thanks for reading and I hope you keep reviewing! (actually, I hope YOU ALL keep reviewing…)

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own any of the Avatar characters blah blah blah this is so getting old and I love Zuko!

I wasn't sure how to feel exactly when I returned to the palace. I slowly walked through the silent maze, wondering where everyone was. It felt as though I was walking in a dream and I kept touching the high stone walls of the maze to reassure myself that everything was real, that what I had seen was real. How could I have thought that there had been a mistake? I leaned heavily against one of the walls and cried quietly. How could Yoko have hurt me like that? How could he have done something like this to me? I loved him and he broke my heart.

"Aya?"

I turned my head quickly at the sound of my name. With a sick feeling in my gut, I recognized Yoko, standing uncertainly in the middle of the garden path. I stood up quickly and wiped the tears from my eyes.

"Go away." I said coldly, staring him straight in the eyes. "Leave me alone!" He took a step forward.

"Aya, please, let me explain…"

I glared at him menacingly and stepped back. He flinched and took another step forward, more haltingly this time as if trying to make sure I wouldn't run away again.

"Please Aya." He whispered, his voice quivering. I hesitated. He sounded like he was about to cry and a small sliver of hope broke through. Then the picture of…_them_ came rushing back to me. I narrowed my eyes.

"Get away from me! I used to think of you…I used to think that you would never hurt me! And now…" I broke off and started crying again. He came forward and put his arms around me, squeezing me tightly.

"Aya, I'm so sorry. It was a huge mistake and I am so sorry. There was nothing going on…it just happened so quickly that…" I pushed him away angrily.

"How dare you!" I snarled. His yellow eyes watched me helplessly. "How dare you touch me? How dare you even _think _of touching me?" All thought of a second chance left me then and I could hardly bring myself to look at him.

"Go away." I said quietly, my hands clenched tightly into fists. It was all I could do to hold back the fire that threatened to break through. Yoko opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it. With one last glance, he walked away slowly, dejectedly, out of the maze. I watched him go without an ounce of sadness.

……………………………

The day before the Prince's birthday, he came to my house. When Kiku answered the door, she was so flustered that she could hardly speak and I had to come from upstairs to save her. I bowed and invited him inside.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Prince Zuko?" I asked as I showed him to the small tea table. Kiku silently brought out two teacups and set them before us. She poured us each tea and then left. I could hear the door close and knew that she would be listening on the other side. I rolled my eyes to myself and directed my attention back to the Prince. He was sitting quietly and sipping his tea as his eyes slowly wandered over the walls. After a minute, he sighed and set his cup down.

"Lady Aya, my father, Fire Lord Ozai, has willingly chosen you as a bride for me." He said quietly while avoiding my gaze. I looked down at my lap and said nothing. I had thought about Yoko a lot in the past few days, but he had hurt me in a way that I was sure could never be fixed. I had decided long ago to accept the Prince's marriage proposal if he ever made me one. And if he hadn't…well, I would have found someone else. I could live without Yoko. When he didn't say anything, I stood slowly and kneeled next to him. His yellow eyes found mine and they widened slightly in surprise. I bowed low to the floor.

"Prince Zuko, please accept me." I whispered quietly. I felt him shift next to me and then his hand was on my shoulder.

"Sit up." He commanded. I complied and he took one of my hands. I found myself looking into his eyes. His scar looked differently to me now from when I had first seen it. Now, it made him a different person, a braver person. I didn't love him I knew, but maybe it would be alright.

"Aya, I…will you be my bride?" He said this a little awkwardly and I smiled slightly. I looked down and he let go of my hand.

"Yes, Prince Zuko." He let out a sigh; of relief or of something else I couldn't tell. He leaned against the table and rubbed his scar with one hand.

"This has been too complicated for me." He said. "This whole thing with marriage and just coming home was hard…" He sighed loudly and stood up. I stood with him and followed him as he walked slowly to the door. Behind me from the kitchen, I could hear someone talking but ignored the voices. When he reached the doorway, he turned to face me once again.

"Aya, you and your family will have to meet with my father…later." He said quietly, not quite meeting my eye. I nodded and looked away. Wouldn't _that_ be unpleasant? He began to walk back to the palace with an escort of just one guard.

"Prince Zuko," I started and he turned quickly back to me. "My father is away. How will he meet with the Fire Lord?" I asked. He nodded thoughtfully.

"I'm not sure. My father may have sent for him." I nodded and watched him and the soldier walk back to the palace. When I went back inside, I fund my hands were shaking slightly. I took a deep breath and walked towards the kitchen door. The voices had not stopped, I found, and when I opened the door, I saw Kiku and Aki talking to each other. When they finally noticed me, they stopped in surprise. Aki's face was unreadable but Kiku had a mixture of excitement and surprise.

"Oh Aya, the Prince! How wonderful!" She put a hand on her breast. I looked at Aki and he grinned grimly.

"Someone should tell your mother." He said quietly. There was something in his eyes that made me look away. I'd never done that before, not to a servant anyway. They all knew about what had happened between me and Yoko of course. That very same day he had tried to come into our house. Kiku had let him in but I refused to see him and he was then forced into telling the story. He left quickly and my mother's hoarse yells could still be heard throughout the streets. Aki's face did not bode well for me. I could see well that he wanted to talk to me about something and I was sure I would not like it much.

"I'll go and get her." Kiku said, still breathless. She went into the kitchen to do a quick clean-up and then waved goodbye as she disappeared through the door. I stared after her, trying to avoid Aki's eyes. Eventually, I had to talk to him.

"Lady," he started gently, and put a hand on my shoulder. I didn't shrug him off and only turned my head to look at him. "Lady, why did you say yes?" He asked. I held his gaze for a moment and then looked down.

"I wanted to." I said quietly. He sighed and dropped his hand.

"I see."

"You do? Do you really?" I asked. A note of hysteria had entered my voice. His eyes slid over me and landed on the wall behind me.

"You know that you will then be a part of the royal family. A princess."

I nodded.

"Yes, I know. I have realized."

"And you will be a daughter-in-law of Fire Lord Ozai." He said this quietly and almost soothingly. Almost in disbelief, as if there was something wrong with me, like it was an impossible idea. I nodded.

"Yes, Aki, yes I have realized all of this and more."

A pause.

"That does not mean that I have absorbed it just yet. I am still trying to understand." I said. My eyes were burning and I was trying hard not to cry. Why, I didn't know. Shock, mostly, some happiness, some sorrow but there was something else. I was a little afraid. I was scared. Terrified.

A tear ran down my cheek and I hurriedly wiped it away. I turned my back on Aki, not wanting him to see, but he knew me better.

"Lady, please, Lady it will be fine. Everything will be alright." He said and took my hands. I could feel his calloused hands encircling mine and I squeezed them tightly. My amber eyes met his deep brown ones and he smile at me.

"Everything will be fine." He repeated and I nodded.

I hoped it would be.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Avatar characters, but Aya is mine.

We entered the Fire Nation Palace in an extremely nervous state. My mother kept taking sharp, rattling breaths as we passed slowly through the Entrance Hall and then into the Throne Room. We both bowed respectfully at the feet of the Fire Lord sitting behind his long wall of flames. It was the only light in the entire room and it cast long shadows against the walls. The only sound that I could hear was the crackling of fire and the patter of our footsteps.

"Don't look him in the eye, remember, Aya." My mother whispered quietly to me as we rose. I nodded my head in response not being able to trust myself to speak. I was extremely glad that I had not had much to eat that night. I had never been more nervous in my entire life. After a few moments of quiet waiting, the Fire Lord rose from his seat and beckoned us closer with a gesture of his arm. He spoke to me first.

"Lady Aya. My son has chosen you as his bride, the day before his seventeenth birthday. He has told me that you accept his proposal, which I am _pleased_ to hear." He smiled but he didn't look too pleased at all. He then turned to my step-mother.

"Lady Ayame. My son has chosen your daughter and I have heard also that you accept this proposal from the royal family."

My step-mother nodded politely and bowed her head. Glancing quickly at the Fire Lord, I saw that he was looking at her with an expression that made my stomach turn. It seemed like admiration…but somehow his eyes looked a little too bright.

"I called you here to welcome you to the palace. Your husband is currently elsewhere in the Fire Nation, on my orders, searching for the Avatar. I am sending out several messengers to make sure he is notified of his family's change in status here. Tomorrow, the engagement between your daughter and my son will be publicly announced. Until the marriage, however, you will remain in your household."

He smiled in an almost pleasant way and raised his arm dismissively.

"I will send someone if any plans change. You may go."

We both bowed and walked quickly out of the room. As soon as the door was closed, my step-mother leaned heavily against me, breathing deeply. I held onto her for what seemed like hours until she regained her posture and smoothed out her hair.

"Sorry, Aya." She said with a slight smile. I nodded back and took a deep breath myself, just happy that the whole ordeal was over. Not that it appeared to be much of an ordeal. After another moment, we began to walk out of the palace and to our house. The whole way my mother kept spouting ideas about how Lord Ozai was going to announce my engagement.

I could still picture the Fire Lord, and the way he was staring at my step-mother.

"I want to talk to Lady Aya please."

Someone was at the door, but I was engrossed in a book that Prince Zuko had given me as a present. We met often now, at least once a day. His father had announced our wedding to be two weeks after the prince's birthday, and the palace had been extremely busy planning everything for the event. They were rebuilding the whole thing with significant quickness and it was turning out very beautifully.

I didn't raise my head until Kiku cleared her throat.

"Excuse me, lady, but someone is here to see you."

I marked my page and closed the book. Setting it on the tea table, I stood up slowly and let out a sigh

"Who?" I asked, trying not to sound to irritated. People had been visiting me for the past week after our engagement had been publicly announced. It got quite tiresome after a while but I could only imagine what Prince Zuko had to go through.

"Lady Natsumi." Kiku said in a nervous voice. As if her name had been a signal, Natsumi herself glided gracefully in and bowed with a humble smile. I was so shocked that my mouth dropped open and for a moment I couldn't think quite straight. Natsumi looked at me, and then when I couldn't say anything, around the room with an interested gaze. She spoke before I could.

"Lady Aya, I must say that your household is stunning."

This simple remark shook me and I found my voice.

"What are you doing here?" I said, acquiring a steely tone. Her eyes fell instantly upon me; she let out a tired sigh, and sat down heavily on a cushion placed around our table.

"Please, Aya, I must explain some things to you. You must understand-." I cut her off before she could finish.

"I don't need you to explain anything to me." I said in a curt voice. There was movement out of the corner of my eye and I turned. Kiku was standing by the kitchen door holding a pot of hot water and two tea mugs.

"There will be no need for that." I said harshly. "She will be leaving before long." Natsumi sighed again as Kiku left through the door.

"Please, just let me try." She said in a sincere voice while motioning to a cushion. "Please?"

I glanced at her and then slowly sat, not knowing exactly why. Natsumi smiled and placed her folded hands into her lap.

"Aya, you must know that what you saw in that room was not Yoko's fault." She began in a soft voice. I looked at my lap.

"Before I even knew that Yoko had feelings for you, he was the object of my affection for a couple of years."

My head shot up. Natsumi had liked Yoko? She was avoiding my intense stare and my head began to swim. What if what I saw really was a mistake? And I had agreed to marry the Prince of the Fire Nation…I shook my head in disbelief.

"This was when we were much younger, hardly just out of childhood. But I had loved him. I followed him everywhere, like a pet that he never knew about. Soon, however, I noticed that he was showing his affection in a more public manner to someone else: you."

She looked up at me and her eyes were glassy. I was still trying to process what Natsumi was telling me.

"He loved you, Aya. More than he would have ever loved me and that hurt me so much; knowing that he would never feel the same about me as I did about him. So I told him about how I felt and realized that what I had done was a big mistake. He let me down gently, of course, but I could never recover from what I had now confirmed was true. Since that moment, I did everything in my power to win him back. Nothing was grand or very obvious, mostly small things; telling him that I loved him while passing by, writing letters while he was away, little things that I thought might sway him."

She was crying quietly now and all I could do was stare at her with a blank look on my face. All of this was hard to comprehend when all I had expected was an apology. She was letting her love for someone that had broken both of our hearts pour out without a second thought. And I couldn't believe I didn't know that she had loved him.

"But when I heard that he had spoken to you about a marriage proposal, I was desperate. I thought that if I could just meet him in private, I could convince him that I loved him more than you ever could. But I was wrong. So wrong in fact that he actually called to meet me. I was so excited when he told me. I thought that he as going to propose to me instead and then exclaim his love for me in that moment. But he came in with a grim face and told me that I needed to stop. I had to stop everything that I was doing so you would not get suspicious of him. I couldn't believe what he was saying and so…"

She trailed off and, for the first time, looked me directly in the eye.

"I tried to convince him how much I really cared for him. And that was when you walked in. I was too stunned to do anything, but Yoko ran after you. And that is when it really made me realize that he would never love me like he loved you."

Natsumi stopped and her watery eyes gazed deeply into mine. I could hardly breathe. Everything, everything I had seen was not real. It was a mistake and I felt like such a stupid fool for it. Here, I had thought that Yoko had cheated on me and it had turned out that it was a complete misunderstanding.

"Aya, I am so sorry. I know we didn't get along, but I really never meant to hurt you this bad."

"I think you need to leave." I whispered. Standing up slowly, I turned on her and walked away, upstairs to my room. Behind me, I could hear the faint sound of a door opening and closing as Natsumi left. I sat on my bed and stared into my lap, my mind whirling like a hurricane.

So, it all had been a mistake. And I was already engaged to Prince Zuko. I couldn't break off our engagement; the Fire Lord's anger would be out of control and who knew what he would do. But if Yoko still loved me…I couldn't even begin to imagine how he must be feeling. I had ignored him for over a week now and he most certainly and not tried to come back to talk to me. I put my head in my hands and took in a deep breath. I felt as if I was about to cry, but I had done enough crying for now.

There was a knock on the door and Kiku slowly walked in.

"Lady?"

I looked up and she stared at me worriedly.

"Lady, are you alright?" She asked softly, gently placed a hand on my shoulder. I stared to nod, and then shook my head violently.

"No. I will never be alright again I think. Please Kiku; I just need to be alone for a moment." Kiku glanced at me one last time, and then left, quietly shutting the door behind her. I sat on my bed until the sky became dark, turning over every event that had happened in the last two weeks. I had been, at first, only just normal…and blissfully happy. And now, things had become complicated and confusing. I lay down, not feeling at all hungry for dinner and was about to fall asleep when I realized that I should forget about everything. I should just push all things aside and just…be. I would wake up in the morning and warmly greet my step-mother. I would dress and go into the palace to sped time with Prince Zuko. I would show him that everything would be okay. I would show everyone that everything would be okay.

That night I dreamed of the Avatar. He smiled at me, so young, and held out his hand. Hesitantly, I took it and he showed me to a spring, water running down from the top of a large rock. Red, orange, and pink flowers were growing beside it. Someone was picking them and weaving them into a crown, a constant steady motion. The Avatar motioned to me and I knelt next to the silent person. She turned towards me and I saw the face of my mother.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the Avatar characters. I only have Aya.

When I awoke the next morning, I felt revitalized in such a way as I had never felt before. The first thing I saw was Kiku, laying out my clothes for the day. She smiled hesitantly and when I smiled back at her she let out a quiet sigh.

"Good morning, Lady." She said cheerily as she placed a beautiful red dress on the chest at the foot of my bed. Humming something, she bustled about as I got slowly out of bed. Yawning I looked around my room, one that I would no longer spend any more nights in after my marriage to Prince Zuko. Letting out a sigh of emotion, I stood and brushed the dress Kiku had set out with one finger. It had been another gift from the Fire Lord, most likely the most expensive one he had ever given away. I had never owned a dress as beautiful as this one, and from what the Prince had talked of, there were more wonderful things that I could not yet have seen.

_Because they were upstairs, in the royal family's quarters._

Involuntarily, I shivered, thinking about living with the Fire Lord. I knew, though, that I would see him only rarely. I let out another sigh as Kiku finished making the bed and walked over to fix my hair. She ran a brush through it quickly and then began to braid it.

"Ah, Aya, I am so happy for you." She said softly after a moment of silence. I smiled but my thoughts kept returning to the night before. With a shake of my head and a pat on the back of my head from Kiku, I banished them from my mind. Kiku began to wrap my long hair up and formed it into a graceful bun. Standing, I slipped out of my nightdress and Kiku handed me the red one to put on. She stepped behind me and began to tie up the back.

"Lady, what does the palace look like?" She asked suddenly. I opened my mouth to reply, but found I couldn't. Had she never been into the palace before?

"It's…it's beautiful." I said eventually. "The gardens there are very…exotic. And the detailing on the walls and arches are exquisite." I looked at her curiously as she came to stand in front of me, making sure that I was looking appropriate.

"Have you never been inside?" I asked. She shook her head and smiled. I though I saw a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"No Lady." She said softly and patted my hand. "But I wanted to know before you left." I looked at her strangely.

"Kiku, you're coming with me when my quarters change, as well and Aki and Sokka." I said in disbelief. She sighed and looked at me.

"No, Aya, we are not. In fact, you are the only one who is going to live in the palace." Kiku sighed again and motioned for me to get down stairs. I was going to be late. My head clouded in even more thoughts, I glided over to the door and stepped out unwillingly. Walking down the stairs, a normally easy task seemed somehow difficult as I thought about what Kiku said. I could hear her faintly as she began attending to the other rooms upstairs in the house.

_No, Aya, we are not._

I sighed and rested my hand lightly on the staircase railing. Looking down, I noticed Aki and Sokka waiting patiently below. The look on Sokka's face was murderous and Aki's was solemn. I smiled slightly with a hint of sorrow.

"Please don't look so sad." I whispered to Aki. He shook his head.

"Aya, it's not your fault." Aki said to me, placing one hand gently on my shoulder. It was warm and reassuring, something I needed at the moment. He grinned.

"Besides, we'll always be here."

Sokka grumbled something incoherent behind Aki's back. He turned to look at Sokka, an inquiring eyebrow raised.

"Would you like to say something?" He asked slyly. Sokka's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms sullenly.

"No."

I smiled uncertainly at him and his eyes flicked away, staring at the front door.

"They haven't found the Avatar." I said. He looked back at me, a strange look on his face. Aki watched him with curiosity.

"Oh?" He said quietly. Though he may have thought his face was unreadable, I could tell what his thoughts were turning towards. I sighed quietly.

"Don't try to find him." I said as Aki opened the door for me. Sokka's beautiful blue eyes rested on me, a sullen look on his face.

"At least, not yet."

Walking to the palace felt like walking into a place of judgment. Surrounded by not less than three guards, I was as noticeable as the Avatar. If one hair was out of place, it would be like I had just committed some heinous crime. However, seeing the prince waiting for me cheered me up somewhat. He had become something of a friend to me in the past few weeks, albeit the confusion. Today, he was talking to a soldier, a general by the looks of his armor. As he saw me approach, he broke off his conversation and came to greet me.

"Lady Aya, how are you today?"

I smiled politely as the guards dispersed, leaving me and Zuko by ourselves.

"Perfect, today actually." He grinned, a much nicer change from his old sullen character from before.

"What are we doing today?"

He sighed and took my arm gently.

"Wedding gowns I think." He said in a dull voice. "I won't be there of course." I nodded, not looking foreword to the hours I would spend dressing and undressing; trying on this and that while the seamstresses poked needles here and there.

"I can't believe the wedding is only in two days." He said quietly, his eyes fixed on the hall in front of him. I nodded again and began to wonder what the Fire Lord planned to do after Zuko and I were married. My thoughts continued along this track and his, I'm sure, were along similar lines. After a few minutes of silence, we found ourselves in front of a pair of doors. Zuko stopped here and dropped my arm from his.

"This is it." He stated, his golden eyes resting on my face for a moment. It sounded as if our lives were over. We stood there for another moment until the door opened and startled us both. A sharp woman poked her head out and spotted me.

"Lady Aya?" She questioned severely. I blinked and nodded in surprise. The lady motioned for me to come in with small slender fingers.

"Well hurry up we haven't got all day!" She cried and disappeared behind the door once again. I turned back to Zuko and gave him a slight smile. He returned it with a larger grin.

"Have fun." He said with a teasing note in his voice. I shook my head and leaned in close to him. His eyes opened wide in surprise as I gave have a light kiss on the cheek.

"You try to have fun too."


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any of the Avatar characters. I do own Aya.

The room is silent as I try to focus on my meditation. Zuko says it's good for me; it saved his life when he was…away for those three years. I breathe in and out, letting everything empty from my mind. However, this is hard to do as I can hardly think of anything but the Avatar. I try harder, but his image keeps coming back to me. I shake my head and crack one eyelid open as a knock sounds on the door.

My room comes into focus; red hangings are draped gracefully across the large open, airy windows that were specifically requested by me. Several comfortable pillows are placed around a rather simple yet elegant table that is so common of the Fire Nation. A half-eaten breakfast lies on it. I haven't had much of a stomach for food these past couple weeks.

"Come in." I say, addressing the inside of my door. It opens and reveals Zuko, in a loose fitting outfit. He is holding the door open for a figure whose face I am unable to see. A smile crosses his face as he notices me sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"Meditating?" He asks lightly, a teasing smirk behind his smile. I grin and try to push myself up off the floor. Zuko soon rushes over to help and I thank him with a kiss on the cheek.

"Someone is here to see you." He whispers in my ear. A curious look crosses my face and he shrugs his shoulder nonchalantly. "I'll be in the War Room if you need to find me."

He walks out the door and ushers the visitor in. My breath catches in my throat as I recognize the face of my old friend. He looks so much older even though it has only been three years. He bows politely as according to the Fire Nation custom. I rest one hand on my swollen belly, trying to wipe the surprise from my face.

"Yoko?" I breathe, hardly daring to believe. A smile flits briefly across his face and is soon replaced by one of sorrow.

"Oh, Aya." He whispers. The room is silent as it had been before, but now it is and awkward silence. After a few moments, I decide to break it.

"How-how are you?" I ask, not moving any closer. I would invite him to sit, but I am too stunned. He gazes at me, his tired eyes searching my face.

"I've been in the Earth Kingdom." He answers simply and I nod my head. After a many more minutes of silence pass, he finally sighs and shakes his head.

"I-I came to apologize." He says quietly. I frown.

"What do you mean?"

He looks up and takes a step forward. I don't move but stare into his golden eyes. There is something there that I can see. It is his sorrow…and his pain.

"Aya, I-" He stops and I realize what he is trying to say. I turn my head slightly and look down on the floor. There is more silence and it soon seems that world is completely filled with it.

"It is alright." I say in a soft voice. He lets out a short breath and I glance up. His face is so full of hope now, but he frowns. I smile at him, trying to tell him without words that I understand.

"I've missed you." He whispers.

I do find Zuko in the War Room. The guards let me enter, knowing full well that I am allowed to go just about anywhere I please in the palace. But I merely poke my head in through the red hangings, making sure first that there are only the few members of the Alliance inside. When I see only the seven cushions placed around the table are taken, I take one step inside and bow politely to the guests. The young girl looks up and smiles slightly before she turns her head back towards Zuko, who is talking to the group in a quiet voice. I find the empty cushion next to him and try to sit comfortably down; difficult as it is, I eventually find a good spot.

The Avatar, sitting on Zuko's right, grins widely at me and I smile back. He is such a young boy yet but his eyes are already as empty as Yoko's. I frown and put the memory of my once-friend out of my head. My eyes wander over the other faces at the table. The Water-Tribe girl is one of the Avatar's companions who we thought to be dead. The other, her brother Sokka, has changed much since I knew him as my servant in our old household. He is much older now and more mature than he once was. Also there is a young man from the Earth Kingdom and his friend, two esteemed gentleman who are friendly almost to a fault. They and the entire Earth Kingdom are trying still to recover from the war that Lord Ozai had forced upon the world. Both are extremely intelligent and talkative, something that Zuko looked for when he decided to propose the Alliance.

The last seat is taken by an old woman. Her wrinkles and age are similar in number for she is nearing the ripe age of 96. Her gray hair has been pulled up in a loose bun and her blue arrow tattoo pokes out from her forehead. She is one of the few surviving airbenders that came out of hiding when the war ended. Her knowledge of history and politics are astounding and we learn something from her everyday. We were very lucky that she agreed to come and try to help the Fire Nation redeem itself.

Zuko's voice continues on as he explains the projects each nation has planed in order to restore themselves to their former grandeur. My eyes wander over to a painting on the wall closest to the meeting table. It depicts an old man whom I knew for only a little while, Zuko's uncle Iroh. It is a portrait dedicated to the great Lord who had died defending what was right. He is in all of our hearts, especially in Zuko's. I cannot even begin to understand how deep his love for his uncle flows; it is indescribable. Even though Lord Iroh is no longer with us, his death was one of sacrificial love and Zuko owes him his own life. If not for Iroh, Zuko would not have had a chance against his father's wrath.

"…and some of the Fire Nation funding will be given to the Airbenders to help restore the Southern Air Temples." Zuko was saying. I brought my attention back to the conversation and Zuko's eyes traveled around the table.

"It sounds reasonable." The old woman said in her hoarse voice. "I do hope that you are planning to come by and see how the work is going?"

Zuko smiles at her and nods his head. Aang grins and looks over at Sashay. Even though there is a considerable age difference, the old woman and the young boy have become something of great friends. One of the Earth Kingdom men raises a hand and Zuko turns his head towards him.

"Yes, Jai?"

The man frowns slightly and looks to his cohort.

"Well, we were just wondering what kind of funding would go to our projects? Particularly Omashu since it was the last city that was taken by the Fire Nation."

Zuko nods to this and looks at the girl. Her gentle face contrasts to her sharp blue eyes. Around the same age as Zuko, she gets along very well. It comes as a surprise to me seeing as not only three years ago she and her brother would have gone out of their way to kill him.

"And the Southern Water Tribe?" Zuko implies. The girl nods her head in all seriousness.

"We are fine actually. Progress is coming along very well, in fact. I don't think we'll need anything much from the Fire Nation. The only thing we would like to request is a trade route to be established between the Southern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation. We are going to need a lot of supplies until construction is finished."

Zuko nods and turns back to the two Earth Kingdom gentlemen.

"I think we should discuss this with your King in Omashu. Should we arrange a meeting with him tomorrow?" The man nods and Zuko looks over to me.

"Welcome Aya." He whispers. "Thanks for coming."


End file.
